Woman sentenced for crashing stolen cars into a ditch

Posted on 07/05/2017

GREELEY, Colo. (Weld County D.A.) – Stealing a car and driving it into a ditch can be described as an exceptionally poor life-decision and understandably carries stiff consequences. But what happens when you hijack three vehicles and crash them all into ditches? Look no further than the Weld County District Court for that answer.

Today, Tonijazzmin Sandoval, 23, of Brighton, was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to several counts, including aggravated motor vehicle theft, criminal trespass and possession of a controlled substance.

According to the arrest affidavit, in September 2016, a Weld County deputy found a Lincoln Navigator submerged in a water canal near Weld County Road 23. A quick search found the vehicle was stolen out of Brighton, presumably by the defendant.

After crashing that vehicle, Sandoval broke into a home down the road from the canal and stole a 1967 Chevrolet pickup. She smashed through the closed garage doors, only to crash into another ditch on WCR 23. The defendant repeated this choice once more after she trespassed into another home, stole a $48,000 Dodge Ram 3500 and crashed the truck into another ditch, yet again on WCR 23.

She also rummaged through one of the victims’ homes and stole clothes, according to testimony from today’s sentencing hearing.

“It’s unfathomable the amount of damage the defendant caused in such a short amount of time,” said Weld District Attorney Michael Rourke. “But the damage reaches beyond the physical; she created a sense of terror in the victims’ own homes. She broke in, pilfered through their belongings and took their vehicles. Imagine the fear she created.”

Sandoval was also ordered to repay more than $13,000 in restitution to the victims.